According to a statement from the Municipal Administration of Moçâmedes, to which VerAngola had access, circulation resumed this Monday and aims to "facilitate the movement of people and goods between the two municipalities".
"The entourage, paralyzed since 2021, will henceforth boost tourist activity and trade between municipalities and ensure safe transport for the commercial class", reads the note.
According to the chairman of the Board of Directors (PCA) of the Moçâmedes Railway (CFM), António Coelho da Cruz, in a first phase, "three passenger wagons will be available, with a capacity of 60 to 70 seats, being a freight wagon, which can operate three times a week, that is Monday, Wednesday and Friday at a cost of 500 kwanzas", adds the statement.
The administrator of Moçâmedes, Abel Kapitango, indicated "the positive effects of the resumption of the train", stressing that this will, in addition to "boosting trade, capitalize on tourist activity between the municipalities and provide a safe and low-price trip".
In turn, the acting provincial governor, Anica de Sousa – quoted in a note from the Provincial Government of Namibe, which VerAngola had access to – said that the resumption of this train will strengthen "commercial exchanges and facilitate the movement of passengers" , taking the opportunity to appeal to citizens to conserve public goods.
"CFM has registered, with some concern, the vandalism of its service equipment, such as the theft of metal sleepers and rails, we want to appeal to the population to take care of public goods, in this case for the good of passengers and businessmen who are going to use the wagons to transport goods," she said, quoted in the statement.
It should be noted that the first trip had the testimony of the Minister of Transport. "The Minister of Transport, Ricardo de Abreu, witnessed the start of the first trip that brought together passengers, members of the Municipal Administrations of Moçâmedes and Bibala, highlighting the presence of the Administrators of the two municipalities Abel Kapitango and Luzia Arcanjo", reads the note from the Municipal Administration of Moçâmedes.
According to Angop, on this first trip the locomotive left the CFM station towards the municipality of Bibala, with more than 50 passengers on board.
